Director: Community has gone to bat for Welcome Warehouse

Wednesday

Welcome Warehouse has been able to help many people, and none of it would have been possible without the Dublin community, executive director Tanya Mathew said.

Welcome Warehouse has been able to help many people, and none of it would have been possible without the Dublin community, executive director Tanya Mathew said.

"We feel so blessed," she said. "It's amazing how far we have come. We couldn't function a day without community support. Dublin is such a good, caring community."

From the beginning, Welcome Warehouse has benefited from the kindness of others and has passed on that kindness, Mathew said. The nonprofit organization, which helps Dublin school district families temporarily in need, will celebrate its fifth anniversary this fall.

The group's first storage space was donated by Thomas Irelan's Dublin Building Systems.

"We were there for two and a half years," Mathew said. "It was big and rent free."

Welcome Warehouse moved to Indian Run Methodist Church after that, to another rent-free space. At the church, Welcome Warehouse runs a store where families in need can pick up clothing and other items.

Over the winter, the Dublin Chamber of Commerce managed to collect more than 200 coats that were cleaned for free by Dublin Cleaners and given to local families.

Dublin resident Lisa Arledge-Powell sits on the Welcome Warehouse board and donated the time and skills of her company, MediaSource, to make a video on Welcome Warehouse's services.

"Being in the Dublin community I knew of (Welcome Warehouse) and I was also a friend of (past president) Julie Fletcher," Powell said. "I think we always want to help good causes, but what I liked about Welcome Warehouse is it helped people in the Dublin community and it was really important to give back to the community."

Mathew said the video, which tells the story of the organization, is shown to volunteers and at fundraisers for the group.

Thanks to donations of clothing and furniture, along with in-kind donations, Mathew said Welcome Warehouse has never had to hold a fundraiser on its own.

"It's funny because we're such a young organization. We haven't even done a presentation for support," she said. "We've had people come to see what we do, but we haven't solicited (funds) directly. Others have solicited for us."

Kathy Bulter held the first big fundraiser for Welcome Warehouse; the Tuscana Tour of Homes raised $20,000 for the group.

"It was a huge thing that put $20,000 into our bank account," Mathew said. "And it wasn't just the funds, it got people talking."

Other groups have since organized fundraisers for Welcome Warehouse; the Muirfield Village Civic Association held a Black and Tan fundraiser in March.

Mathew said the organization will continue to depend upon the kindness of the Dublin community and volunteers to help families in need.

"The beauty of the organization is people love giving to people in the community," she said. "It's nice to know it's going to families in the community."

For more information on Welcome Warehouse, look online at welcomewarehouse.org.

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